What is B Corp Month?

Certified B Corporation

If purpose lies at the heart of your organisation, you will know March is B Corp Month. But what is B Corp Month and why does it matter? Greenhouse PR is celebrating B Corp Month – and this is why you should get involved, too.

B Corp Month

It’s difficult to overstate the importance of purpose in business. Profit may enable business, but purpose is what drives it. Purpose determines business evolution, governs the culture of a company and can be used as a goalpost for decision making. At its most basic level, purpose defines what an organisation wants to be.

B Corp began in 2006, when three friends created non-profit organisation B Lab, which is dedicated to fostering business that balances purpose and profit. They created the B Corporation certification for organisations to voluntarily demonstrate their wider value to society. One year later, the first 82 B Corps were certified. There are now over 3000 B Corps across 71 countries.

To become B Corp certified, businesses must prove their sustainability credentials. They must also demonstrate responsible attitudes to workers, suppliers, local communities and the environment.

B Corp Month celebrates the work of certified organisations, which is what we will be doing on Twitter (even more than usual) – and we encourage others to do the same.

B Corp benefits

Greenhouse PR has been a certified B Corp since 2017 and we are incredibly proud to belong to this inspiring global community.

 

By striving to meet the criteria set by B Corp, organisations signal that they are willing to go the extra mile to protect the environment and their workers, customers and stakeholders and this pays in more than profit.

B Corps foster a culture that attracts brand and employee loyalty – just take a look at our staff survey results. In fact, B Corps are 5.3 times more likely to retain millennial employees who currently make up 50% of the UK workforce and are set to be 75% of the workforce by 2030.

The clear identity of a B Corp also enables businesses to stand out against increasingly prevalent “greenwashing” by larger companies. Certification empowers consumers with the knowledge that they’re supporting truly environmentally responsible businesses.

Global B Corps like Patagonia, Body Shop and Ben & Jerry’s use their size and influence to drive environmental impact. They champion the idea that businesses can be a force for good. Commitment to that purpose has shaped the way these organisations have grown and ensured that company growth hasn’t been prioritised over the environment.

B Corp collaboration

An unwavering commitment to net zero is something that all B Corps share, and one of the driving factors to securing B Corp status.

Shared goals are invaluable when it comes to collaboration. Alongside B Corps, we know that as well as climate goals, we also share the same wider goals of supporting a better environment for workers and for customers. This transparency in business purpose is why we love collaborating with fellow B Corps Triodos and Rubber Republic.

Over the course of B Corp Month, we will be profiling our favourite B Corps on Twitter – and highlighting how companies that may be interested can achieve B Corp status.

As B Corps, we are empowered to drive business as a force for good, improve the sustainability of our workplaces and ultimately, ensure that we reach an inclusive net zero. Join us.

Greenhouse PR works with organisations and leaders who are pioneering climate action. Whether it’s food, fashion, finance or farming, if you’ve got a great story and need our help to tell it, get in touch with the Greenhouse team on 0117 214 1250 or email info@greenhousepr.co.uk.